


Beauty from Ashes

by Taedae



Series: Provocative Thoughts [6]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, One Shot, Post-Canon, Post-Dark Side Of Dimensions, References to Depression, Respectshipping - Freeform, Romance, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 01:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20267614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taedae/pseuds/Taedae
Summary: After experiencing a great loss, Atem dedicates his time to helping Mokuba wade through his grief in an effort to helpbothof them heal from the sudden and devastating change in their lives. Together, they recover and find comfort in each other's presence, and as the years move on, their lives inevitably settling into a new normal, they begin to seek more than just friendship from one another ... all while never learning of the truth behind their unusual bond, a secret hidden away inside someone's pocket.





	Beauty from Ashes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [venom_for_free](https://archiveofourown.org/users/venom_for_free/gifts).

> This story is a birthday gift for my German "sister", Venom! I love you so much and I am so very grateful to have you in my life! You mean more to me and my family than I can possibly ever truly express.
> 
> Sadly, this story isn't explicitly staring _your_ version of Atem, but it is still inspired by one of our RP verses, so I did add a little Venom-flavoured sass here and there, just for you 😉 And while I didn't exactly plan for this story to turn out the way it did, I just wrote what what felt right and what the muses told me to ❤️ Regardless, I hope you will find some enjoyment in it!
> 
> _**Warning:** This story is highly emotional and heavily discusses death, grief, and healing._

The service was over. The mourners and other guests had already dispersed, leaving flowers and muddy footprints in their wake. The casket had been lowered, and the grave filled in, the freshly packed soil darkening, turning into a pile of brown goop as rain fell from the grey clouds infecting the sky. There was nothing left to be said or done, yet two figures remained, standing side by side in utter silence as they stared at the gravestone marking the burial.

Heavy drops of water pounded against the umbrella gripped tightly in the elder man's hand, protecting them both from the downpour, the rain swallowing the sound of soft sobs escaping the teen at his side as tears spilled down the younger man's face.

Time became irrelevant as they stood there, staring unseeingly at the grave before them, neither willing to be the one to break the silence. Neither of them knowing if they were even _capable_ of stringing words together, both men still in shock from the sudden and devastating turn their lives had taken.

A flash of lightning and a crack of thunder pulled the older man from his sombre musings, and he turned to face the boy at his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. The gentle touch roused the teen, and he drew in a harsh, shaky breath before stepping forward, out from the dry haven of the umbrella, to place a bouquet of yellow and white lilies on top of the gravestone. As soon as the flowers left his fingers, however, the young man froze, unable to bring himself to turn away regardless of the rain seeping into his suit.

And for a moment, he honestly felt like he would rather curl up in the mud and rot there in the graveyard, than turn away from the headstone.

The boy's companion stepped forward, once more shielding the young man from the weather's bite as his hand resumed its place on teen's shoulder, squeezing softly in a silent sign of understanding. This wasn't easy on either of them. 

They remained there for a few more minutes, not a word passing between them as they tried to prepare themselves for the inevitable moment when they would return home _without_ their loved one. But as another—much louder—crash of thunder boomed through the air, the older man squeezed the boy's shoulder again as he whispered, “It's time, Mokuba.”

Tearing his eyes away from the gravesite for the first time since arriving hours earlier, Mokuba turned to see the black car parked nearby, idling as the driver waited for them, and he had to fight against another sob that threatened to burst forth.

He wasn't ready yet. He didn't think he would _ever_ be ready.

Isono gazed sadly down at the younger Kaiba, his own eyes shimmering with repressed emotions as his hand slipped from Mokuba's shoulder and pressed against the boy's back, gently guiding him towards the vehicle and away from the gravestone that read, _Seto Kaiba, loving brother._

  


* * *

  


The residents of Kame Games returned to the shop, quietly entering through the front door, the store's _Closed_ sign swinging in the window as they stepped inside. They had been silent during the ride home, none of them really sure what to say.

The funeral had been a heartbreaking ordeal, if for no other reason than having to watch Mokuba slowly crumble more and more with each passing second. And even without taking the boy's pain into account, Yugi had been on the verge of tears throughout the service and Atem hadn't been much better off. Seto may have been a complicated man, but they both had considered him to be their friend. It would have been impossible to overcome all the challenges they had experienced with the elder Kaiba brother and not hold a special place in their hearts for him.

Especially after everything Seto had risked to give the Pharaoh a second chance at life.

Sugoroku led the way through the storefront and into the back of the shop, where their family's little kitchen and common room resided. Though Yugi's mother was out of town visiting a friend—and thus, unable to attend the funeral with them—his grandfather had been there to support the boys in her place. Regardless of the fact that the elder Mutou's own relationship with Seto Kaiba had been rocky at best, Sugoroku had a kind heart and refused to hold his past with the former CEO against him, primarily because he had come to mean so much to his grandsons. And although Atem was not biologically his kin, upon his return to the living realm, Sugoroku had welcomed the Pharaoh with open arms, taking the young man into their home without hesitation.

Several thousand years between them or not, Atem had been a part of their family since long before Yugi had completed the Millennium Puzzle, even if they hadn't realized it until more recently, so it just made sense to accept the former king as a Mutou.

Upon stepping into the kitchen, Yugi poured them all a glass of water, which Sugoroku accepted gratefully before politely excusing himself, mumbling something about wanting to work on some inventory before they reopened the shop tomorrow. It was probably just an excuse to give Yugi and Atem some time alone to think or talk or mourn in their own way, but neither of them called him out on it. Yugi merely nodded as his grandfather returned to the storefront.

The two young men remained silent for a little while, the only sound in the room that of the ticking of the old analog clock on the wall. Eventually, though, Yugi set his glass down on the counter and sighed.

“What a day.”

“What a _week,_” Atem corrected, setting his own barely consumed water down as well, his stomach twisting too much to continue drinking it.

It had only been a few days since they had gotten the news of Seto's passing, and if the week had been rough on _them,_ Atem couldn't even imagine what Mokuba was going through. The young man had spent his entire life with his brother, had practically been raised by Seto in place of their birth parents, and even after they had been adopted by Gozaburo, the tyrant had never been able to replace the role Seto had played in Mokuba's life. His big brother had meant the world to him, had risked his own life for Mokuba again and again, had worked himself to the bone to ensure they had a stable future ...

Atem suddenly reached for the tie secured around his neck, tugged at it as though he felt like it was choking him. Even before he had put on the suit Yugi had lent him for the service, the air felt thin. It had nothing to do with the climate in Japan or adjusting to his newly regenerated body or even the funeral itself. It was because of the guilt that had been slowly clawing its way to the surface ever since the news of Seto's death.

Yugi noticed Atem's discomfort and stepped forward, gently taking his friend's hands away and unbinding it himself. “Are you okay?” The Pharaoh snorted, but the sound was humourless, and Yugi's eyes shot up from the tie in his hands to meet Atem's gaze. There was a heartbeat of silence before he whispered, “You know what I mean.”

Yes, Atem did know what Yugi meant, and honestly, he didn't know the answer. For the former ancient king, Seto's passing went much deeper than just losing a friend, and even though he and Yugi had already had this discussion at length over the last few days, it didn't change the fact that he felt partly responsible for elder Kaiba's death, even if only indirectly.

While Atem hadn't played any part in Seto's decision to use the Quantum Cube to track him down in the afterlife, he blamed himself for having caused the brunette's obsession to begin with, for having left the realm of the living without giving him the closure he had deserved. And while Seto's death hadn't come until a few months _after_ Atem's return, if he _had_ said goodbye to the Kaiba brothers following the Ceremonial Duel as he had Yugi and the others, maybe Seto wouldn't have fallen ill in the first place.

Sighing, Atem closed his eyes and shook his head. “... Not really, no.”

Pulling the knot open, Yugi continued to work the tie free until it was unbound entirely and hanging lax around the back of the Pharaoh's neck. Then he stepped back, gazing sadly at his friend, his arms loosely crossed over his chest. “Atem, how many times do I have to tell you that this isn't your fault?”

He turned away. “It's not that simple, aibou.”

“... I know.”

A gentle hand came to rest on the Pharaoh's shoulder, and he turned back towards his former host, meeting Yugi's gaze. Both of their eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and suddenly Atem felt guilty for an entirely different reason.

After his life as Egyptian nobility—following the order and direction of the Gods, and living thousands of years as a spirit locked away in the Millennium Puzzle, bound to a grand destiny that was the guiding force of his entire existence—Atem was still trying to find his footing in this new life as an individual who had full agency over his decisions and future. Sometimes it was a bit unsettling and far too easy to get caught up in his own head, running himself in circles about what could have been if he had been allowed to make different choices, that it was easy to forget that he wasn't the only one suffering.

Atem's shoulders slumped, and he sighed again before pulling his friend in for a hug. “I'm sorry, Yugi. I just ... don't know what to do. I feel so ...”

“Helpless?” Pulling back, Yugi gave a weak but understanding smile. “I know. I think we're all kind of feeling that way right now, but it will get easier with time.” Yugi moved to sit on one of the stools in front of the counter, gesturing for the Pharaoh to join him. “Life for the rest of us will keep moving on, whether we want it to or not. Besides, Seto wouldn't want us sitting around crying over him, anyway.”

Feeling disturbingly relieved by Yugi's attempt to lighten the mood, Atem wiped at his eyes as he slipped onto the other stool and chuckled softly. “True. If anything, wherever his soul is now, he's probably complaining that the service didn't include an epic duel or at the very least one of his cool solid vision tech displays.”

Yugi laughed a little, too. “Yeah, you're probably right.”

But the humour only lasted for a moment before they both fell silent again, their expressions falling flat as the clock's persistent _ticking_ invaded the kitchen. It was still too soon, too raw.

“Will Mokuba be okay?”

Yugi turned his head to look at Atem. “... I really don't know.”

The Pharaoh nodded, taking hold of his abandoned glass, swirling the water inside it mindlessly. Following his duel with Yugi, when he had stepped through the gates and been reunited with his friends and family from ancient Egypt, there had been many happy welcomes and joyful tears, but after the grandeur of his arrival had settled, Atem had asked his closest friends a crucial question.

_How did you move on?_

How had they found the strength to keep going after he had been sealed inside the Millennium Puzzle? How had Mana and his cousin—and successor—Priest Set been able to carry on with their lives, without knowing if they would ever see him again? How had Mahaado, his own life sacrificed to birth the Pharaoh's protector, the Black Magician, been able to put his own soul at risk without knowing what the outcome of the grand battle against the demon Zorc and the Thief King would be?

Each of them had said the same thing: they had faith in him.

At the time, Atem had felt flattered and incredibly grateful for his friends' loyalty. And having been reunited with them all, that answer had been enough for him. But now ...

What about Mokuba? Where was he supposed to find the strength to move on with his life? He had no remaining family, his brother's soul wasn't bound to some great destiny like Atem's had been, which had been a huge source of power for his friends back in ancient times. And while Mana and Set had had each other and the entire court by their sides, supporting them along the way, Mokuba didn't have that.

Sure, Seto had become a close friend to both the Pharaoh and Yugi, but the Kaiba brothers had never really formed as much of a bond with everyone else, and Mokuba had even less of a connection to the rest of their friends than his brother had since he was five years their junior. Not that Jounouchi or Anzu or Bakura or any of the others wouldn't be more than happy to help Mokuba out if he ever needed anything, but this was different. This wasn't like needing to test out a company prototype or asking for romance advice.

What Mokuba needed was someone to be there for him, to stand by his side. Not as a replacement for his brother but as a true friend. Someone who he could lean on for support and be a shoulder to cry on. Someone who wouldn't get frustrated with him when he was having a bad day and took it out on the world. Someone to celebrate his successes and to help pick him up from his loses.

Someone to just _be there_ for him as he grew into the young adult he was slowly becoming.

Sighing, Atem put the cup down, the _clink_ of the glass against the counter echoing through the room. “I think I should check up on him.”

Yugi tilted his head. “Because he just lost his brother or because you feel responsible?”

“... Both?”

A small, sad smile tugged at Yugi's lips as he turned his whole body towards his friend, reaching forward to take both of the Pharaoh's hands into his own. “Atem, I'm not trying to discourage you from going to see Mokuba. Quite the opposite, in fact. I just want to make sure you are going to visit him for the right reasons.”

Atem blinked. “You think ... I'm doing it for the _wrong_ reasons?”

“Not exactly.” Yugi gently squeezed Atem's hands, then released them now that he had his friend's full attention. “I think you're hurting, like the rest of us, and that you believe the way to help ease the pain would be to try to make amends for what you _think_ you've done. Which isn't necessarily 'wrong' ...

“However,” Atem, who had been nodding along with his former host's words, froze when Yugi's tone shifted. He didn't sound upset, just a little hesitant and concerned. “While I agree that Mokuba could probably really use the company right now, are your intentions to help ease _his_ pain ... or _your own?_”

The Pharaoh tensed, suddenly feeling like he had been doused with cold water. He hadn't expected that question ... nor had he expected to not be sure what the answer was. He stared at Yugi for a moment, his lips slightly parted in surprise before he sighed, his gaze moving to the floor.

And Yugi, being the kind and gracious soul that he was, merely put his hand on his friend's shoulder and spoke softly. “There is nothing wrong with wanting to find some way to make the pain go away, Atem. But while Seto was our friend, he was Mokuba's _world_. Whatever we are feeling, must be a thousand times worse for him, if not more.

“I support you in wanting to check on him, but maybe ... not today. I think he needs tonight to grieve on his own, and you need to do the same.” Squeezing the Pharaoh's shoulder comfortingly, Yugi continued. “Let's order some food and take the night to sort ourselves out, then you can go see Mokuba tomorrow.”

Atem's gaze lifted to meet Yugi's again, eternally grateful that this man never judged him or anyone else for their mistakes. When he had lost all traces of himself after being stripped of his memories and locked away in the Puzzle for thousands of years, it had been Yugi who had taught him kindness again. It had been Yugi who had reintroduced him to the power of friendship. It had been Yugi who had helped keep the darkness in his heart at bay.

Yugi Mutou was an incredible person, and Atem trusted him completely. Which is why he agreed to withhold going to the Kaiba manor until tomorrow, after he had recovered enough to ensure his visit would truly be about helping _Mokuba._

  


* * *

  


When the doorbell echoed through the otherwise silent halls of the Kaiba manor, Mokuba didn't even twitch. He just lay in his bed, his eyes clamped shut and his body curled around his brother's pillow, which he had stolen from Seto's abandoned bedroom following the funeral. And after collapsing fully dressed onto his own bed, Mokuba refused to move from that spot all night except to go to the bathroom, declining food and anything else Isono had attempted to bring him. He hadn't even _looked_ at the man any time he had entered the room to check on him, and didn't so much as grunt or give any kind of response to Isono's inquiries.

And his behaviour had been much the same all morning.

Sleep-deprived but unable to truly rest, Mokuba felt defeated. Lost. Like he might as well be dead himself because the universe had taken away the one person who had always been there for him. Seto had been more than just his brother. He had been his friend and guardian and mentor, too. Everything he had today he owed to his big brother. And now ... Seto was gone.

A knock on the bedroom door pulled Mokuba from his chaotic thoughts, but he didn't respond. It was probably just Isono again, trying to coax him into eating or to tell him who had been at the door. Regardless, he didn't care and just buried his face into his brother's pillow.

The door opened anyway, and he heard Isono's familiar footsteps enter the room.

“Mokuba?”

Refusing to give any indication that he was awake, Mokuba remained perfectly still and silent. He knew Isono didn't deserve this, that the older man was suffering too, but he just couldn't bear to face their new reality yet, even though he had already been avoiding it all week.

When Seto had passed away, the younger Kaiba had been unwilling to return to the manor, forcing Isono to scramble to find a hotel for them to stay in during the days leading up to the funeral. And once they had arrived, all the clothing and other necessities they'd required during that time had to be collected and delivered to them by Kaiba Corp assistants because Isono had refused to leave the teenager's side unless it was absolutely necessary—though it wasn't like he had time to run such errands anyway.

As head servant of the Kaiba manor and chief advisor at Kaiba Corporation, _everything_ had fallen onto Isono's shoulders since Seto's death. Managing the company and keeping it afloat during Mokuba's absence. Instructing and keeping the staff at the manor organized through calls and text messages to ensure everything was still running smoothly for when they inevitably _did_ return home. Mokuba hadn't even wanted to take part in planning the funeral service, leaving it all in the elder man's hands because being involved in any way would have made the loss too real for him.

Isono had done _everything_ that Mokuba had avoided all week, without fail and without a single complaint, including fighting with the younger Kaiba to just do the simplest things, like eat, bathe, and dress himself. But despite his degenerative state, Mokuba _was_ actually aware of how utterly unfair he was being to Isono and had promised himself he would make it up to the man at some point ... but just ... not yet ...

“Mokuba?” Isono verbally prodded once more, keeping his tone gentle and calm, despite how exhausted he must be, and the teen tightened his grip on Seto's pillow, hating every second of his uselessness but still finding himself incapable of responding. A heavy silence hovered between them before Isono cleared his throat and said, “You have a visitor.”

The teenager sighed, and he could almost _feel_ Isono tense at the side of his bed since that was the first real hint of _anything_ he had gotten out of the boy since last night. Mokuba knew this would happen, that eventually, people would start mailing cards, sending e-mails, calling, or even just showing up at the manor, expressing their “deepest sympathies” for his loss. He just didn't think it would start so _soon._

There was another moment of silence before Mokuba licked his dry lips and managed to croak out, “... I don't care.”

“But Mokuba—”

“No!” he snapped suddenly, cringing at his own behaviour but unable to stop himself. He didn't want to hear anyone's condolences. He didn't want to see the look of pity in people's eyes when they saw him. He didn't want _anything_ or _anyone_ but his big brother! Drawing in a raspy breath, Mokuba curled impossibly tighter around the pillow, nearly whimpering as he said, “I don't want to see anyone.”

“Not even me?”

His whole body clenched when he heard the familiar but unexpected voice of the Pharaoh drift into the room, and a second later, Mokuba actually sat up and turned to face the bedroom door, stunned to see Atem standing there, slightly blocked by Isono as though he was _trying_ to remain hidden.

Mokuba's gaze met Atem's, and suddenly, the teenager felt incredibly embarrassed about the state he was in. His thick black hair, though shorter than it had been a few years ago, was sticking up all over the place from tossing and turning in bed for hours. He was still wearing the suit from yesterday, the tie hanging half bound around his neck, the jacket and trousers creased, the dress shirt wrinkled, as though none of it had been perfectly ironed and pressed before he'd put it on. And he was sure his eyes were still a little puffy from all the tears that had soaked into his brother's pillow.

He was a total mess, and the _once Pharaoh of Egypt_ was bearing witness to it all.

Swallowing nervously, Mokuba tore his gaze away and stared at the rumpled sheets strewn across his bed, his face heating with shame ... but he didn't send Atem away.

There was an awkward pause before Isono mumbled that he would give them some time alone to talk as he turned and strode back out of the room, carefully stepping around Atem on his way out the door. A moment later, Atem stepped further inside, and Mokuba heard the door closing behind him, temporarily “sealing” them in the room together. He knew it wasn't locked, and that the former king wouldn't stop him from leaving if he chose to, nor would he argue if Mokuba suddenly told him to go away, but even still—something about the door being closed made the boy even more nervous about the situation.

Likely because now there was no way to hide his depressive and disastrous state.

They remained silent for a long time, both of their gazes turned away from one another, and Mokuba felt his stomach twist when he momentarily allowed himself a peek in Atem's direction. Was he looking away because he was embarrassed by Mokuba's indecency?

Clearing his throat nervously, the teen looked away again as he whispered, “Why are you here, Atem?”

More silence was his only answer at first, and Mokuba could feel his anxiety rising with every passing second. Was the Pharaoh here merely to treat him like an emotional charity case, just as everyone else likely wanted to? Or was something wrong? Had something terrible happened to someone else they cared about, too? After being trapped in his own negative thoughts for what felt like ages—even though it had only been a few days—Mokuba couldn't stop himself from spiralling into a pit of worry, his stomach clenching so hard, he almost felt ill.

But, just as he decided that he didn't want to hear the answer and had opened his mouth the demand that Atem leave, the former spirit of the Puzzle finally spoke.

“Because you're my friend.”

Mokuba's head snapped up, and he stared at Atem, the Pharaoh's own gaze meeting his for the first time since his arrival. And what he saw in the other man's eyes, or more so what he _didn't_ see in Atem's violet gaze, surprised him. There was no hint of pity, no sign of disgust at the teen's behaviour or appearance. All that resided there was genuine kindness ...

Atem blinked and, as though some kind of spell had just been lifted from him, Mokuba's eyes dropped to the floor and he mumbled, “... Oh.”

“May I ... stay with you for a while?”

The boy nodded, almost robotically, as though his brain still hadn't quite caught up with the situation yet, but he knew he should give some kind of response regardless, and a moment later, Mokuba felt the mattress dip beside him as Atem sat down.

Remaining perfectly still, Mokuba waited for what he thought was inevitable; conversations he didn't want to have, or the Pharaoh trying to coax him into eating or changing out of his rumpled suit, like Isono had tried to do. But nothing of the sort happened, and the longer he waited for _something,_ the longer the silence stretched on, causing the younger of the two men to lose track of how much time was passing them by.

Confused, Mokuba frowned and looked up, expecting to see Atem watching him but ... he wasn't. Instead, the former king was staring at the wall across from them, seemingly lost in his own thoughts but in no way expecting any kind of interaction from the young Kaiba. A wave of relief flooded him, and Mokuba relaxed more than he had in days. Not entirely—he was still tense and emotionally wound up, but he didn't feel the unbearable pressure to _do something_ anymore because ... Atem hadn't set any expectations.

Feeling like he could actually breathe a little again, Mokuba shifted to the side a bit, waiting to see if the former spirit would react but when that garnered no response, the teenager slowly moved more and more until he was curled back up in bed, back in the spot that had been his resting place since returning home, snuggling up to Seto's pillow once more. And after a few peaceful minutes passed by, Mokuba's eyes slowly fluttered shut, the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion finally catching up to him, and he drifted into a much needed deep slumber.

Atem waited until he was sure the young man was actually asleep before finally coming to life again himself. Rising from the edge of the bed, he leaned over the mattress and carefully shifted the dishevelled blankets around as much as possible without disrupting Mokuba, pulling them up and draping them over the teen's body. Then he quietly crossed to the windows, gently tugging the curtains closed before he left the room, heading downstairs to seek out Isono.

If _Mokuba_ was this dead to the world right now, Atem would only imagine how exhausted the other man was.

  


* * *

  


Mokuba ended up sleeping for most of the day, but when he did finally wake, he surprised both Atem and Isono by actually asking for something to eat. Neither of them said anything about it, though, not wanting to call attention to it and risk Mokuba changing his mind out of shame. Instead, Atem stayed with the boy, sitting in the bedroom again but this time on the chair across from Mokuba's bed while Isono prepared and delivered a platter of assorted fruit and vegetables, as well a pitcher of water and two glasses.

They both ate mostly in silence, Atem continuing to make the young man feel at ease in his presence by not forcing any kind of conversation or other interaction on him. He wanted to let Mokuba eventually come _to him_ when he was ready, knowing that pushing for anything, even if his intentions were out of genuine concern, would cause Mokuba to withdraw again. The Pharaoh wasn't even hungry but picked at the food anyway, aware that Mokuba would likely not eat at all if he felt as though he were being watched.

Following their meal, the young Kaiba crawled back into bed, still wearing the wrinkled suit from Seto's funeral but Atem remained silent on the matter as he merely tucked Mokuba in again, much like he had done earlier when his friend had already fallen asleep. He felt the teens eyes on him as he did so but only met his gaze for a second, the former spirit's lips twitching upward slightly in acknowledgement before he returned to the task at hand, ensuring the blankets were secured around Mokuba like a cocoon. Then Atem returned to the chair on the other side of the room, just sitting quietly, offering his presence as a silent comfort as the young man drifted back to sleep.

As the sun started to disappear beyond the horizon, casting the sky into multiple shades of red, pink, purple, and orange, the Pharaoh felt confident that Mokuba would rest well in his absence and slipped out of teenager's room once again. Now thoroughly exhausted himself, he checked in on Isono one last time, the latter insisting that he be driven back to the game shop instead of walking or taking public transportation, and Atem was almost embarrassed by how quickly he accepted the offer. It was a good thing he _did,_ though, as he barely made it inside the door after being dropped off before he stumbled into the living room, throwing himself face down on the couch and passing out.

The following morning, Atem woke as the sun was starting to rise and after a much-needed stretch, he dashed upstairs to the room he and Yugi shared, quickly but quietly changing into a fresh set of clothes before rushing back down to the kitchen to grab some toast and coffee. Typically, the former king preferred tea, but after yesterday, he was reasonably sure he would need the extra boost to get through the day with any amount of success.

He consumed his slightly questionable sustenance choices quickly, determined to head back to the Kaiba manor as early as possible to assist Isono with preparing and serving Mokuba's breakfast. And maybe, after the progress that had been made last night before he'd left, there was a chance the boy would actually eat a proper meal, even if only a little.

Since Yugi and Sugoroku were still asleep by the time he left Kame Games, Atem placed a note on the counter for them, explaining his absence before calling a taxi and making his way across town to the manor.

Upon his arrival, much like yesterday, the grounds were quiet as he ascended the stairs and rang the doorbell, but _unlike_ yesterday, when the door opened, Isono didn't look surprised and troubled. Instead, the older man actually smiled as he stepped aside to allow the Pharaoh inside once more.

“How is he?” Atem asked the moment the door closed behind him.

“I haven't checked on him yet,” Isono admitted, appearing almost sheepish. “I didn't want to disrupt his rest,” was his explanation but Atem caught on to what the head servant _wasn't_ saying: he didn't want to risk causing any kind of emotional retreat.

Atem frowned a little at that, tilting his head to the side. “So you just ... waited for me? Why?” Last night, before he had left the manor, the former spirit had told Isono he would return in the morning but hadn't expected the other man to _wait_ for him.

A small smile tugged at Isono's lips. “Because he's actually responding to you.”

The Pharaoh blinked, then chuckled a little nervously. “I'm not some kind of wizard or anything.”

“No, but nothing I have tried has worked since ...” Isono's voice trailed off, not really needed to explicitly _say_ what he was referring to for them to both understand. There was a heartbeat of silence, then he cleared his throat before continuing. “I've struggled with him for days, and in the last twenty-four hours, you've already managed to make him more responsive than I have been able to.”

They stepped into the kitchen and Atem waited on one side of the counter while Isono walked around to the other end, setting out the ingredients and other assorted items they would need to make breakfast, organizing them so they both had something to keep their hands busy while they spoke.

“I'm sorry things have been so challenging for you, Isono,” Atem muttered, a hint of guilt slipping into his voice, concern about his possible involvement in all of this rearing its ugly head again. Despite how many times Yugi had reminded him that Seto's death had been an incident completely isolated from the former CEO using the Quantum Cube, Atem couldn't shake the feeling that maybe the two events were more connected than the others wanted to believe.

“It's alright, Atem,” the other man responded smoothly, clearly not caught up in the same kind of thoughts as the Pharaoh. “We all grieve in our own way, and honestly, I can't blame Mokuba for how this has affected him.”

Atem nodded, and they fell silent as Isono cracked the eggs, dropping them into the pan that had been heating up on the stovetop, the food sizzling as it hit the hot metal. The former spirit watched for a moment before he redirected his focus on his own task of preparing a side of fresh fruit.

The sooner they finished getting everything ready, the better.

  


* * *

  


Though Mokuba didn't _finish_ his breakfast, he did actually try to eat some of it before shocking Atem and Isono for the second day in a row: he actually changed out of the suit. And not just that, the teenager even _showered_ before putting on a fresh set of clothes. However, while Mokuba had been in the bathroom getting cleaned up, Isono started trying to select the young man's clothes for him, and Atem had to put a stop to that as soon as he realized what was happening. The key to their success right now was letting everything be on Mokuba's own terms, so as much as the Pharaoh understood the head servant's desire to help, it was better off if they let the boy pick out his own clothes ... even if that meant Mokuba would end up wearing pyjamas all day.

Thankfully, he went at least one step up and pulled on some sweatpants and a matching hoodie.

The remainder of Atem's second day at the manor went rather smoothly, all things considered. It still involved a lot of silence and sitting around, just _being there_ for Mokuba, the former spirit's only real source of conversation coming from Isono anytime Mokuba had fallen asleep long enough for him to slip away for a little while—which happened a few times. And while otherwise Mokuba essentially didn't do anything more than robotically eat a bit when presented with food and use the bathroom, the fact that he was getting any rest felt like a win to Atem, so he didn't complain.

After all, the entire purpose behind his visits was to be a friend Mokuba could rely on while the boy tried to piece his life back together, and to offer Isono a bit of a break too whenever he could manage it, so Atem faced the situation as calmly and patiently as possible, trying his best not to let his own exhaustion and emotions interfere.

However, on the third day, that's when things started to get a little rocky.

Just like the previous two days, Atem rose early in the morning, grabbing a quick partial breakfast for himself before flying out the door and going straight to the manor. He and Isono greeted each other with small smiles, both hopeful that today would be even better than the last, but neither wanting to say it out loud. They kept their conversation light as they worked together to get Mokuba's meal prepared, then Atem carried the tray upstairs to the young Kaiba's room.

Knocking on the door first, he waited a heartbeat to give his friend time to acknowledge his presence before he stepped into the room, bringing the tray over to the desk lining the side wall. However, something was different this morning; he could feel Mokuba's eyes on him the whole time, the boy's gaze making Atem's entire body itch with nervous anticipation.

Once the tray was out of his hands, the Pharaoh swallowed before turning around. “Good morning, Mokuba.”

“Why are you still here?”

Atem blinked. He hadn't expected that. He was quiet for a moment before attempting to smile, but his face felt stiff. “I'm ... not,” he responded with a small, humourless chuckle, his nerves getting the better of him the longer Mokuba continued to stare at him. “I went home last night and the night before. So I'm not 'still' here, just ... here again.”

The teen closed his eyes and turned his head away. He was still wearing the same sweatpants and sweater from the day before, but compared to a suit, at least those clothes were actually comfortable to sleep in.

“That's not what I meant,” Mokuba whispered.

_I know,_ Atem though immediately but he held back the words, not letting them slip out into the open. And honestly, the former king couldn't say this question was entirely unpredictable. When he'd first arrived two days ago, and Mokuba had asked him why he was there, Atem had said it was because they were friends. But Yugi, Jounouchi, Mai, and all the others were Mokuba's friends too, and yet _they_ certainly weren't the ones running themselves into the ground trying to help the young man through his grief. It didn't mean the others didn't care, because they absolutely did, but ...

_They don't have something to apologize for._

He almost physically cringed at his own thoughts but couldn't let Mokuba witness that or he'd run the risk of the boy thinking he was doing so in response to _him._

Atem's stomach clenched, and he let out a quiet breath, trying to get his mind back on track, to focus on the young man in front of him, still sitting on his bed, still holding onto his departed brother's pillow as if his own life depended on it.

_Seto ..._

“I'm still here ... because ...” Pausing for a moment, Atem bit his lip as he considered if this was really a good idea or not before sighing and just letting the words pour out, praying to the Gods that he wasn't about to ruin everything he had just spent the last two days carefully building. “Because Seto wouldn't want you to be alone.” Mokuba tensed so hard, Atem could physically see it beneath the boy's clothes, but the Pharaoh pressed on, bracing himself for whatever reaction was coming his way. “And ... I owe him ... I owe _both_ of you.”

A long, heavy silence descended upon the room, and Atem had to actively remember to _breathe_ so he didn't accidentally blackout from a lack of oxygen. The seconds quietly passed by, but he didn't dare look at the time, didn't dare _move_ for fear that doing so would be like stepping on a landmine. And Mokuba ... he just sat there, staring at the blankets strewn across his lap.

Maybe ... he should leave ...

Atem hesitantly took a step towards the bedroom door, being careful to move slowly enough to not startle his friend, but he didn't get much further before he heard a soft whisper.

“What are you talking about?”

The former king froze for a second before slowly turning back towards Mokuba, finding the young man's eyes on him again, but this time, his gaze wasn't piercing like it had been when Atem had first entered the room. Instead, it was weak and confused, the boy's eyes shimmering in the dim light filtering in through the still closed curtains, welling with unshed tears.

They held each other's gaze as Atem whispered back, “I owe you both my life.”

A second of silence. Two. Three.

“Why would you say that?”

Atem blinked. “... Because it's true.”

Almost as though he was only really just waking up now, as if he had been in some kind of trance this whole time, Mokuba shook his head and wiped at his eyes, brushing away the tears before they could start streaming down his face. “No, it's not,” he muttered, sniffling. “We owed _you_ for everything to did to help _us._ Pegasus, the Rare Hunters, Doma, Zigfried, _the God of darkness._” Shaking his head once more, Mokuba's gaze strengthened a little as he said, “We brought you back because we owed it to _you,_ and you deserved a proper life.”

The Pharaoh almost laughed, his next words coming out sounding raw and a little bitter. “Please, Mokuba. Seto brought me back because he was a sore loser.”

“Atem ...” The corners of the young Kaiba's mouth twitched, though his own voice was rough with emotion, “That was ... Seto's way of saying 'thank you'.”

“Yeah, and look where that got him.”

The moment the words were out of his mouth, the Pharaoh's eyes widened, and Mokuba grew so still, he looked like a statue. They continued to hold each other's gaze, but Atem didn't know why. All he wanted to do was turn away and run, to go find a small dark corner to curl up in and cry. He was exhausted in every way, having shoved his own grief and guilt aside these last two days to be present for Mokuba and now, it was all for nothing.

This wasn't how he'd wanted this conversation to go. This wasn't how he'd wanted to apologize.

_Seto shouldn't have come back for me._

Atem didn't move, though. He couldn't. He felt rooted in place by the boy's gaze and just stood there, waiting for the final blow to hit, for Mokuba to do _something._ Scream, cry, throw things, kick him out, anything other than just sit there, watching him with those expressive dark blue eyes. But when the teenager finally did speak, he didn't do any of those things.

“... this isn't your fault, Atem.”

Those five words nearly broke him. The once king of Egypt's legs trembled, and he sank to the floor, ducking his head down as he desperately tried to hold back his own emotions. He couldn't cry. Not here, not now. He had to be strong _for Mokuba_—

Arms suddenly wrapped around Atem's shoulders and he startled, trying to flinch back out of the unexpected grip, but Mokuba held onto him with a surprising amount of strength, and after a few more attempts at trying to break free from the young man's embrace, he heard the teen's voice in his ear.

“Stop, Atem. It's okay ... Everything's going to be okay.”

His whole body went slack as Atem just ... gave up, unable to handle it anymore. Mokuba's words were like opening a floodgate, and he stopped fighting, stopped holding back, and just sat there, trembling in his friend's arms as all the stress and grief and guilt finally caught up with him.

They both lost track of time as a seemingly endless stream of tears soaked into each other's shirt.

  


* * *

  


Atem had had enough.

Without even knocking on Mokuba's door, asking for permission to enter as he usually did, the Pharaoh threw it open and strode right in, immediately crossing to the other side of the room to yank the curtains open. The boy jumped, sitting up and staring at his friend like Atem had lost his mind.

And maybe he had, but he certainly wasn't going to do so alone.

The bright morning sunlight poured into Mokuba's room, momentarily blinding the teen before he threw a hand up to protect his eyes, still trying to blink the last remnants of sleep from his eyes. It had been a few days since Atem had let his walls down and they'd comforted each other, and since then things had been slowly improving, but Mokuba still hadn't left his room, let alone the manor and today, Atem was going to change that even if it killed him.

Or Mokuba killed him. Whichever.

“What the heck, Atem?”

Grinning, the older of the two spun around and placed his hands on his hips as he announced, “We're going out.”

Mokuba blinked. “Yeah, no. I don't think so.”

“Well, I do,” Atem shot back, stepping forward to take hold of the teen's blankets, not pulling on them _yet,_ but the look in his eye made it very clear to his companion that if he didn't willingly climb out of bed, the sheets would be taken from him.

Nearly growling, Mokuba quickly grabbed the edge of the blankets as he snapped, “Atem! I'm serious!”

“So am I. Now get out of bed and get dressed or I'll just drag you outside in your pyjamas.” Just because Mokuba had finally advanced to the point actually dressing appropriately for bed, didn't mean the Pharaoh was going to let him use it as an excuse to remain a hermit.

Rolling his eyes, the boy crossed his arms tightly over his chest, clearly determined to fight him to the last second. “Why are you so annoying today?”

“Because it's your fourteenth birthday.”

“... Shouldn't you be _less_ irritating then? Make it my birthday gift,” Mokuba grumbled before slithering back under the covers and pulling them up over his head.

Atem smirked at that, waiting _just_ long enough for his friend to get comfortable again before unceremoniously yanking all the blankets off the bed and dropping them on the floor. Mokuba groaned, curling into a tight ball and covering his eyes, trying to make up for the lack of cover but Atem wasn't going to let that happen.

He bent down, kneeling on the bed with one knee so he could lean in close enough to whisper into the younger man's ear. “Mokuba, I'm not your brother. If you don't get up in the next five seconds, I'm going to get a bucket of ice water and dump it on you.”

“.... you wouldn't dare.”

_Challenge accepted._ Grinning, Atem left the bed and stepped into the adjoining bathroom, merely turning on the facet and waiting for a few seconds—

_“Fine!”_

Pleased with that response, the Pharaoh turned off the water and returned to the bedroom to see Mokuba sitting up, glaring venomously at him. “Good. Now, I'm going to go downstairs and get us both some coffee. And when I return, if you aren't dressed, I'm taking you outside as I find you, even if you're in your underwear.” Without waiting for a reply, Atem move to the door, pausing there just long enough to say, “Happy birthday!” in an overly cheerful tone before closing the door behind him.

... right as a pillow was launched at his head.

  


* * *

  


“Must you annoy me _every_ birthday, Atem?”

“No, it's not necessary. I just like doing it.”

Mokuba grinned at his friend from across the desk resting between them. They were both sitting in his office at Kaiba Corporation, the room that had once belonged to Seto when he had been CEO of the company. It took the younger Kaiba nearly six months after his brother's passing before he finally accepted the position Seto used to hold, Isono having temporarily filled the role until Mokuba was ready to step into the helm. The problem now was, it had been an entire year since the loss of his brother, and the teenager still hadn't selected a new Vice President.

Which was precisely why he was glad Atem was here, other than just liking the Pharaoh's company.

“Actually, now that I have you here—”

“Oh, no.”

Drawing up a brow, Mokuba stared at his friend. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Atem laughed. “Nothing. I just wanted to see your reaction.”

Smirking, Mokuba rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Does Yugi realize how much of a _brat_ you are sometimes?”

“Oh, Yugi already knew that long before you figured it out.”

The two of them grinned at each other, enjoying their calm, easy banter. It had become incredibly commonplace for them over the last twelve months. Bantering, bickering, sometimes outright _arguing._ Occasionally their little back-and-forths got so heated, the others felt the need to step in, fearing things would get nuclear if they didn't intervene, but Atem and Mokuba always just laughed it off in the end. Their “fights” were never actually serious, serving merely as a form of stress relief for them both, built on the foundations of their recovery from Seto's death. It was something they privately understood and appreciated, even if the rest of their friends would never quite get it.

“You were saying?”

Mokuba sat back in his chair, still smiling a little. “_I was saying,_” he repeated, “that I have a proposition for you.”

That seemed to catch the former spirit's interest as he leaned forward a little and tilted his head. “I'm listening.” The CEO opened his mouth to speak, but Atem suddenly cut in, adding, “and if you say 'duel me', I might jump over this desk and strangle you.”

Laughing, Mokuba shook his head. “No, that wasn't what I had in mind at all, but now I'm tempted just to see if you'll follow through on that.”

While Yugi and most of the rest of their friends were five years older than him, Atem was only _physically_ three years his senior, since his soul had been permanently locked to the age of sixteen while he had been trapped in the Millennium Puzzle and during his time in the afterlife. Thus, the former king hadn't started aging again until he returned to the living realm, which meant the age gap between them had closed a little over the last few years.

But their close age wasn't the reason Mokuba was tempted to test his friend. Atem was quite strong and rather physically fit, his new figure obviously more muscular than he had been while sharing a body with Yugi. And while the young Kaiba had only just turned fifteen today, he had started working out regularly and taking martial arts lessons to help maintain a more stable mental and emotional state, much to Isono's relief.

Not that Mokuba was _looking_ for a fight, but the idea of seeing which of them would actually win did amuse him far more than it should have.

Atem smirked back, his eyes glittering with repressed laughter as he said, _again,_ “I'm listening,” choosing to ignore the less than subtle challenge.

Clearing his throat, Mokuba nodded and got back on track. “I wanted to ask you if you would be willing to become Kaiba Corp's new Vice President.”

Whatever the former Pharaoh had been expecting, his stunned expression made it clear that this certainly hadn't been it. Atem's eyes widened, and he stared at the teenager sitting across from him with his lips parted in surprise as he tried to process the offer. After a minute, however, Atem seemed to finally find his voice again. “... I ... don't know.” Mokuba tilted his head, observing his friend, and Atem rushed to get the rest of his thoughts out before the younger man could say anything. “I mean ... I don't know if I'm the right person for the job.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I have no business experience—”

“I became Vice President at seven years old. You're technically eighteen, and I can teach you.”

Atem blinked, then tried again. “Isono is far more qualified—”

“He doesn't want the position.”

Mokuba's rapid-fire responses seemed to be throwing the Pharaoh off. He shifted in his chair a little before mumbling, “What about Yugi?”

“If I wanted to offer Yugi the job, I would have done so already.” Smiling, the teen shrugged. “Yugi wants to design his own independent games, so we'll likely be doing plenty of business with him in the near future, anyway. But you already knew that.” Leaning forward, Mokuba folded his arms over the surface of his desk. “What is this really about, Atem? What about this has you so bothered?”

Atem opened his mouth to reply but then closed it a second later, as though he honestly didn't know how to answer that question, and his hesitation confused the CEO. The two of them got along incredibly well, even when considering their little “squabbles”. The former spirit knew the company's systems, products, and projects inside and out, oftentimes getting to test out prototypes before the public even heard a whisper about something new coming out of Kaiba Corporation. Other than Isono and Mokuba himself, Atem knew more about what was happening inside of the company than most of the _employees_ did.

So what was the issue?

“I just ...” Atem fidgeted in his seat, avoiding the teen's gaze. “I feel like it would be ... a conflict of interest.”

Mokuba blinked. “What? How?”

“I'm your friend.”

“And Seto was my brother. I don't see what the problem is.”

The Pharaoh swallowed, looking somewhat nervous as he finally looked up, his violet eyes meeting Mokuba's blue ones. “... This is ... different.”

_Different?_ Different _how?_ Mokuba frowned, not really understanding what Atem meant by that but after a moment of silence, in which the other man didn't seem remotely interested in clarifying, the CEO sighed. “Maybe ... this was just a lot to dump on your lap at once and expect you to know what to do with it.” After the life he and Seto had lived, under the strict discipline and priming of Gozaburo, it was easy to forget that most other people wouldn't be as equipped to just jump headfirst into something like this. And even though Atem had once been an Egyptian Pharaoh, that had been thousands of years ago, and he hadn't even been in that role for long before he had locked his own soul—and the soul of the evil demon Zorc—away.

Back then, Atem had been forced into a leadership position because of his birthright. But here, now, in the modern age, he had a choice.

Smiling softly, Mokuba reached across the desk and placed a hand over top of his companion's. Atem startled, but didn't pull away, merely staring at the CEO with slightly widened eyes. “If you really want to do something for my birthday, then at least promise me this: just think about it for a little while, okay?”

A heartbeat of silence, then his friend's expression softened, and Atem smiled in return, nodding, as he turned his hand around and took hold of Mokuba's, squeezing it softly. “Okay.”

  


* * *

  


“A little while” turned into another year, the time passing by faster than either of them seemed to realize. Mokuba's sixteenth birthday came and went, the two of them unable to really do much to celebrate this time because the CEO had gotten swamped with work. And he wasn't the only one, as Atem, Yugi, and Sugoroku were also incredibly busy because Kaiba Corporation was on the verge of launching another duelling tournament, this time in collaboration with several partners, including Industrial Illusions, Black Clown, and _Kame Games_—which had grown in popularity over the last two years due to the personal and business relationship established between the Mutous and the Kaiba empire. 

Somehow, Mokuba proved to be a business relations wizard and was actually able to talk Pegasus into playing nice and participating without too much of a hassle. Not that the creator of Duel Monsters hadn't tried to dance around the contract a little, though. This was Pegasus J. Crawford, after all, and he had certainly attempted to get his way, but in the end, the teenager was able to negotiate a comfortable middle ground for both of them, keeping their companies' best interests in mind.

Atem was honestly stunned when Mokuba recounted the details of that meeting to him because it became incredibly apparent to him that if _Seto_ had been the one trying to make this all happen, the stubborn elder Kaiba brother would have given up on Pegasus long before any kind of real deal could be secured.

However, while they had been forced to let _Mokuba's_ birthday pass by rather uneventfully, the Pharaoh's birthday was just shy of twenty days after, and those three weeks in between the two special dates allowed them to clear just enough work off their schedules to actually manage a small, quiet dinner together at the Kaiba manor on Atem's nineteenth birthday ... or three thousand and nineteenth, however they wanted to look at it.

The two of them slipped into their seats, using the smaller, more informal table for their meal instead of the grand one that resided in the main dining room. They could have used the other one, but both Mokuba and Atem preferred a more comfortable and personable environment for their little get-togethers. And though Isono was technically around, after serving the Pharaoh's birthday dinner, the head servant of the manor bowed and excused himself to enjoy his own meal in solitude, giving the two friends some much needed, and appreciated, time alone.

Atem had grown rather close with Isono over the last two years as well, but the older man was quite happy to leave them be, just glad that Mokuba had such a dear friend to lean on, for better or for worse.

“Thank you, Mokuba,” the former spirit said after they had started eating, smiling up at his companion. “This is really nice.”

The CEO grinned in return. “You're welcome.” There as a moment of relaxing silence before Mokuba glanced up again and smirked, and one look at the young Kaiba's face told Atem what was coming before he had even opened his mouth.

“No.”

Mokuba laughed. “Oh, come on! It's been a year. Surely that is plenty of time to think about it.”

“It is,” the Pharaoh agreed smoothly before adding, “and my answer remains the same.”

“Still that 'conflict of interest', bullshit?”

Atem snorted, pointing his fork "threatening". “Hey, it is _not_ 'bullshit'.”

“But that was your excuse last time.”

Returning to his meal, Atem shrugged. “And it'll still be my 'excuse' again a year from now.”

Mokuba groaned, setting his own utensils down. “But _why?_”

“Did Seto teach you to be this stubborn or is it just in your genetics?”

Though he seemed to be trying to fight it, a small smile still danced across the teenager's lips before he forced his expression back into a more grumpy, almost whiny state. “Come on, Atem. Last time you said you 'think' it would be a conflict of interest, not that it _was_ one.”

“Yes, I did. Because a year ago, I wasn't completely sure.”

Mokuba rose a brow. “And now?”

“And now, I _am_ completely sure.”

Sighing a little overdramatically, Mokuba crossed his arms and frowned over the table, staring at Atem as though just doing that would magically make the former king change his mind. But it wouldn't work. It _couldn't_ work. Atem couldn't give in and take that job even though a part of him yearned for it ...

Because that wasn't the only thing he yearned for ...

He was speaking the truth by saying a year ago, he hadn't been sure. When Atem had first declined the offer, it had been on instinct, something in his heart telling him he _shouldn't_ accept it. At the time, he hadn't understood why but had followed his gut, trusting in his own intuition in much the same way he did in the heart of the cards.

But over the last twelve months, the more time they spent together—the more they laughed and “fought” and just lived their lives around each other—the more the Pharaoh began to understand why he couldn't become Kaiba Corporation's Vice President. Mokuba was too young, barely sixteen years old now and Atem ... wasn't even supposed to be alive in this modern age, let alone what his legally documented age claimed.

He was an _adult,_ and the young man in front of him was just a _teenager._

Swallowing, Atem looked up from his plate, and his heart twinged at the obviously fake pout he saw on his companion's face. It was so ridiculous but also so _adorable,_ and the Atem had to stop himself from smiling. He couldn't give Mokuba hope that he would accept the offer. He couldn't give _himself_ hope that there was any chance of anything between them.

Giving up, the CEO sighed again before grabbing his fork and resuming picking at his food. Momentarily relieved, Atem carried on eating as well, only to nearly drop his utensils when Mokuba suddenly said, “I want you ...”

Atem's head shot up, and he gaped at his friend. “Pardon?”

Mokuba blinked, quirking a brow. “... I want you to take the job.”

_Oh._ Right. Yeah, that ... made a lot more sense. Heart beating at an unreasonably intense rate, Atem swallowed. “... I ... can't ... I'm sorry, Mokuba.”

The rest of their dinner was mostly quiet, the younger of the two having finally dropped the subject, but the former king kept looking up at his companion from time to time, his hands shaking slightly. He was growing more and more nervous as their plates became steadily more empty. It had become a bit of a tradition for them to watch a movie together on their birthdays, but this would be the first time doing so since he had come to terms with his feelings for Mokuba. Beforehand, it hadn't been a big deal for them to lay on the couch together, sharing a bowl of popcorn, but now ...

By the time they were clearing the dishes away, Atem had considered backing out on their tradition and heading home early, using all the tournament prep as his excuse but even just the thought of doing that made his heart ache. He couldn't cancel on his friend. Mokuba had been talking about how excited he was for their evening together for _weeks,_ especially since they'd had to cancel on the CEO's birthday. So instead, he encouraged Mokuba to go select the movie and get comfortable while he busied himself with rinsing the dishes, putting them in the dishwasher, and making the popcorn.

Or more accurately, while he stalled and tried to handle the panic creeping up on him.

When he inevitably couldn't delay any longer without risking Mokuba coming to check on him, however, Atem delivered their snack to the little theatre room adjoining the common room, setting it down on the coffee table before purposely moving to sit on the furthest end of the couch as possible. Unfortunately, the birthday boy's decision to sit so far away from Mokuba piqued the teen's curiosity, who was already laying across most of the couch, remote in hand, as the Pharaoh got settled.

“Scooch closer,” he said casually, and Atem mentally cursed himself, hoping Mokuba would just start the movie so he would get too distracted to notice that the Pharaoh would be staying right where he was. But that didn't happen. “Atem?” the young man inquired, sitting up a little and raising a brow.

“Hm?” Maybe if he acted like nothing was wrong, Mokuba would leave well enough alone.

“Why are you all the way over there? Is everything okay?”

_Or not._ Atem nodded, his muscles already so tense, he was nearly in pain. “Everything's fine, Moki. I just ... ate too much, I think. My stomach is a little unsettled.” Yeah, _unsettled_. With what felt like a million butterflies throwing a damn party.

Mokuba smiled kindly, sitting up properly and gesturing for his friend to move closer. “You _should_ lay down then. It'll help.”

“... I don't think that's a good idea tonight.”

“Why not?”

That was a very good question considering they had literally been doing this twice a year, _every year,_ for the last two. In fact, it had been their first innocent cuddle session on the CEO's fourteenth birthday that had really started helping the teenager to relax more and become more open with Atem. He wasn't sure if it reminded Mokuba of times when he had been little, maybe when he and Seto had spent time together prior to the adoption, or whenever they had been able to squeeze in some brotherly bonding once they had become Kaibas, but honestly, it wasn't really any of his business. Whatever the reason for it, the Pharaoh had picked up on how much it had helped the young man and had been determined to keep up the tradition, particularly on Mokuba's birthday.

It had just happened to accidentally become a thing on _his own_ birthday as well.

Besides, what else was he supposed to have done at the time? The weight of the reality that Mokuba was celebrating his first birthday _without his brother_ had finally hit once they'd returned to the manor that night, and he'd started crying. It had seemed natural to Atem at the time to hold him, much like the young Kaiba had done for him a few days prior when he'd broken down. But now, knowing how emotionally involved he had become towards Mokuba, it would be impossible to pretend that nothing had changed and that snuggling up on the couch together was still as innocent as it had been for the last two years.

But how was he supposed to explain that?

“Atem?”

The Pharaoh sighed, and at the very least decided to move a little closer, figuring it would be safe enough so long as they both remained sitting up instead of laying down like they usually did. “I'd really rather just sit tonight,” he replied gently as he shifted over, settling on the couch cushion that was next to the one Mokuba resided on. “It's been a long day, and if I lie down, I'll probably fall asleep.”

The CEO chuckled. “I mean, if you do, it's probably because you need it, but suit yourself.”

Thankfully, Mokuba also remained upright as he turned on the movie, and they both relaxed back against the couch, returning to the peaceful companionship they had grown so accustomed to.

At least, until about ten minutes into the film.

The Pharaoh neatly had a heart attack when the teenager beside him suddenly leaned closer and rested his head on Atem's shoulder, almost immediately throwing Atem back into panic mode. His pulse raced and his face heated up, his hands curling into fists on his lap as he tried to just _breathe._ Mokuba was likely just tired and—

He felt the other man's hand gently rest over one of his own, encouraging Atem's fist to loosen so he could thread their fingers together.

Remaining perfectly still, the former spirit tried to calm himself by taking slow, deep, purposeful breaths, but after nearly a minute of no success, his heart still pounding so hard he feared it would burst from his chest, Atem tried to pull back. But when he did, the CEO's grip tightened, and Atem knew he had to put a stop to this _now._

“Mokuba,” he whispered, not even sure what to say or how to handle the situation, but before he could even come up with a solution, the whole thing got _worse._

Instead of giving any indication that he was going to let go, Mokuba tilted his head up, meeting Atem's panicked gaze, and they just froze there, staring into each other's eyes for far longer than was appropriate.

It happened so fast that neither of them even remembered moving. One second they were on the couch, balancing on a very, _very_ dangerous line, the next, they were standing across the room from one another, staring at each other with a strange cross between relief and disappointment etched along their faces.

“... You know, I'm ... actually a lot more tired than I thought,” Atem mumbled, the sound of his own pulse in his ears as his gaze dropped to the untouched bowl of popcorn still sitting on the coffee table. “I think ... I should go home. Get some rest.”

“Right,” Mokuba agreed breathlessly. “That's ... probably for the best ...”

The Pharaoh nodded, then he looked up for a moment, just long enough to shoot his friend a small grateful smile. “Thank you for the birthday dinner. Goodnight, Mokuba.”

He was out the door and hopping into a taxi before he'd even heard the other man's reply.

  


* * *

  


“You should have just kissed me.”

_Not this again._ Atem rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “Mokuba. We've been over this. You were only sixteen.”

“And now I'm seventeen.”

“That ... doesn't magically make it better, you know.”

The two of them were once again having dinner together for the CEO's birthday, but this time they were in a public setting, dining at a fancy restaurant that Atem knew his companion enjoyed eating at. Mokuba had tried arguing against the necessity of having their meal outside the manor, but the former king had absolutely refused to even _show up_ unless they were eating around other people, where nothing could happen between them.

After the last time they had been left alone together inside the manor, they both came to the obvious conclusion that there really was something romantic building between them, but they had two _very_ different views on the matter. Atem, being the responsible _adult_ in the situation, refused to allow anything to happen between them that wasn't a simple hug or holding hands until Mokuba turned eighteen. Whereas _Mokuba_ had been attempting to do everything possible to kiss Atem since his sixteenth birthday.

So, what better way to ensure they both kept to their own sides of the table than to go eat out somewhere where the paparazzi served as their chaperone?

Mokuba hated the idea but was willing to “put up with it” if it meant he still got to spend his birthday with his ... _male romantic interest_. He had tried calling the Pharaoh his boyfriend, but Atem had put a stop to that immediately. As much as they both wanted to be a couple officially, the former spirit wasn't sure he would be able to hold himself to his own rule of waiting for Mokuba to become of legal age if they allowed themselves to get much more attached than they already were. Plus, one whisper of that to the media and their relationship would be all over the news, and while technically there was nothing _wrong_ with their romance since they were _legally_ only three years apart, they both knew the truth ...

Thus, no amount of negotiating or attempts at trickery had gotten the young Kaiba any closer to his first kiss.

If nothing else, Mokuba had to commend Atem on his determination and commitment, regardless of how much he detested it.

“Oh, but _eighteen, that_ magically makes it better, right?”

“Don't, Moki.”

“Come on, it's ridiculous. It's not like we're having—”

Atem suddenly leaned forward and hissed, “Mokuba!”

The CEO fell silent, but his exasperated expression morphed into a smirk. “What's wrong, Atem?” he teased, leaning back in his seat and casually swirling this glass of water. “Afraid someone might hear me use a certain three-letter word?”

“_Yes,_ actually,” the Pharaoh pressed, palming his face in frustration. “The last thing we need is for the media to think ... _that_ is happening when you're still underage.”

“And what if I don't care what they think?”

“Seto would.”

The former king had to actively stop himself from cringing about using the “brother card”, but sometimes it was necessary. He understood where Mokuba was coming from. Atem didn't want to wait to be together properly either, but they had far more than just themselves to think about. Mokuba Kaiba wasn't just a seventeen-year-old boy, and Atem Mutou wasn't just Yugi's roommate. Everything they did reflected on Kaiba Corporation and Kame Games. And by association, their every move also reflected on any of the other companies or individuals they did business with. They literally couldn't afford for a rumour of underage relations to be floating around because something like that could ruin not only their lives but the wellbeing of the companies, too.

Besides, if Seto were still alive today, he would likely skin Atem for even wanting to be in a relationship with his little brother, even _after_ Mokuba turned eighteen.

The teen's expression fell, and he sighed. “Fine. I'll behave.”

Atem visibly relaxed. “Thank you.”

“But I'm counting the days, Pharaoh,” Mokuba muttered under his breath, smiling a little again, knowing he had said it loud enough for Atem to hear him.

Glancing up at his companion, they held each other's gaze for a moment, both of them trying to fight against the grins that wanted to take over their faces. Then Atem picked up his glass of water and whispered, “I'm sure you are.”

  


* * *

  


Today was the day. It was Mokuba's eighteenth birthday, and the CEO practically jumped out of bed the moment he was conscious, despite the fact that he wasn't even remotely a morning person. Hopping into the shower, he made quick work of washing himself before returning to his room to put on the outfit he had set aside for this very day, two weeks ago. 

But it's not like he had been looking forward to this or anything ...

Once he was dressed, donning a pair of dark wash jeans and a grey button-up shirt, he pulled his long black hair back into a messy braid before the newly minted adult left his room, nearly skipped down the stairwell, grinning like a fool the whole way down.

As he reached the ground floor of the manor and turned towards the kitchen, Mokuba caught the scent of the hearty breakfast Isono was preparing as it wafted out into the rest of the lower floor. It smelled amazing, and though he hadn't felt particularly hungry upon waking, his stomach greedily announced it's appreciation for the food cooking in the other room with a low growl.

Privately rolling his eyes at himself, the CEO walked through the hall leading into the kitchen, momentarily slowing long enough to brush his fingers along the portrait of Seto hanging on the wall, muttering, “I love you,” with a small smile on his lips. The sting of the loss had long since faded over the last four years, but there was still never a day that passed by in which he didn't miss the company of his stubborn but incredibly hardworking and loving big brother.

He stepped into the kitchen and greeted Isono, who smiled and said, “Happy birthday,” as he worked on pouring more pancake batter onto the heated pan he was working with. Leaving the head servant of the manor to finish up, Mokuba strode over to the coffee machine, about to prepare a fresh batch when the doorbell rang, and he halted, frowning in confusion. Who could that be at this early hour? He wasn't supposed to see Atem until later tonight once he was finished up his shift at the game shop and he couldn't think of anyone else who would willingly come to the Kaiba manor at just past seven o'clock in the morning.

Turning towards Isono, Mokuba said, “It's okay, I got it,” receiving a grateful nod from the other man as he slipped back out into the main hall.

The bell rang a second time just as the CEO reached the entryway and Mokuba rolled his eyes, already over this random visitor before he'd even seen who they were. It was too damn early for someone to be so ... persistent.

“Yeah, yeah. I'm here,” he muttered as he grasped the handle and pulled the door open—to see Atem standing on the doorstep. For a split second, he thought he was imagining things, but the moment a smirk danced across the Pharaoh's lips, Mokuba's brain caught up with the situation, and he smiled in return. “Hey. What are you doing here?”

“And here I thought you would be happy to see me,” the former spirit teased, playfully crossing his arms over his chest. “I mean, I can just leave if you'd prefer.”

“Hm, funny,” Mokuba chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. “You know what I mean. I thought you had to work today.”

“Oh, I know.”

They stared at each other, Atem's smirk remaining in place as the pieces of the metaphorical puzzle clicked into place. “Ah,” Mokuba breathed, grinning. “So you lied to me.”

“No, I didn't. It's not lying if I'm cleverly cloaking a surprise.” Relaxing his posture, Atem placed one hand on his hip instead and winked. “_Surprise._”

Unable to help himself, Mokuba's eyes raked down the other man's body, drinking in every detail as though he hadn't seen him properly in years, even though they had spent nearly every day in each other's company for the last four. The Pharaoh wore a dark red sleeveless shirt that hugged his torso in all the right ways, pairing it with black skinny jeans that had fashionable tears here and there along the legs. Gold bands, tokens kept from his past life in ancient Egypt, encircled his biceps, and there was a matching gold choker around his neck.

Atem observed the CEO, his eyes twinkling with amusement by the time Mokuba's gaze returned to his.

“So,” the birthday boy purred, “Does that make _you_ my present?”

“I don't know,” the former king grinned. “_Does it?_”

“Atem, I swear to the Gods, if you don't ki—”

The rest of his sentence was cut off, however, as Atem stepped forward, grabbing the collar of Mokuba's shirt and dragging his face down to meet his, kissing him for the first time. Frozen for a second, momentarily stunned, Mokuba didn't respond until a heartbeat later. Then, much like what had happened to Atem four years ago when this very same young man had told him Seto's death wasn't his fault, their first kiss seemed to unlock something in _Mokuba_ and before either of them realized what was going on, he'd pulled the Pharaoh inside the manor, slamming the door closed before pinning Atem up against it.

For a few blissful minutes, all that mattered in the world was the two of them. Their bodies pressed together, their tongues dancing between their mouths, their arms curling around one another as though they feared if they didn't hold on, this moment would disappear.

A cough sounded behind them.

Suddenly dropped back into reality, the couple parted, and Mokuba turned to see Isono standing in the entryway, a brow raised, the corners of his lips tugging upwards. There was a moment of silence, then he merely gestured towards the kitchen and said calmly, “Breakfast is ready.”

Almost wanting to laugh, though he was unsure if it was from embarrassment or exhilaration, Mokuba smiled. “Thank you.” And without another word, the CEO took hold of Atem's hand, and they stepped past Isono, striding into the kitchen to have their first meal together as _boyfriends._

And as they disappeared down the hall, Isono chuckled quietly to himself, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a slightly crinkled letter, which he had been carrying around with him every day for the last four years. The edges were a little worn from being moved around, unfolded, refolded, transferred from one pair of trousers to another, but the body of the letter was still perfectly intact.

Carefully unfolding it once more, the head servant of Kaiba manor read the words for what must have been the hundredth time.

_Isono,_

_I don't have much time left, but we both knew this day was coming long before now. Before it's time, though, I need you to swear you won't tell Mokuba how long we've known about my illness. He would never forgive me for not telling him, and I can't bear the thought that he would blame himself for something that was inevitable. You know as well as I do that if he had known, he would have run himself into the ground trying to help me find a cure and I couldn't allow that. As it stands, I've likely expedited my own death by working tirelessly to find a cure myself, and for that, I am sorry._

_Please, promise me a few things._

_First, look after Mokuba. I know you will, I have always known where your loyalties lie. But I also know my death will not be easy on him, and it's going to be made worse by his teenage hormones. Please do everything you can to keep him safe and healthy. Everything I have built under the Kaiba Corporation umbrella was and always has been for him, and my biggest wish is for Mokuba to flourish and use these opportunities available to him to build a future of his own. To find where his dreams and passions truly lie. But he cannot do that if he falls into darkness, like I did years ago._

_Protect him from himself at all costs._

_Second, as you are already aware, my journey into the afterlife wasn't for some pitiful grudge as I have allowed everyone to believe, but I had to protect my secret just in case there really was no way to recover from this. As someone who has walked the line between life and death, I had hoped that Atem, or the Puzzle, or even the power of the Cube, could have held the missing piece I needed to find a cure. And if nothing else, I had counted on possibly finding something that might serve as my last hope._

_I did._

_And I brought him back with me._

_While I ..._ can't _tell you what I experienced, I learned that there are some things that ... cannot be stopped, and I realized I needed to change my perspective and focus on what Mokuba would need in my absence. But do not be fooled, the Pharaoh knows nothing about what happened before I reached him, and it must remain that way. There are some things no mortal mind should bear the knowledge of, even a king._

_So I ask of you, ensure Atem stays close by. Mokuba will need him. I don't care to what lengths you have to go to ensure the Pharaoh remains present in my brother's life, and I trust that you will know what to do or say when the time comes._

_Lastly, for the love of the Gods, when Mokuba plans to propose, make sure he uses this: it belonged to Atem's mother._

And at the bottom of the letter, taped next to Seto's neat, practiced signature, was a pure gold ring with ancient hieroglyphics etched along the inside and firey red carnelian set in the middle.

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who is curious, when Atem and Mokuba walked into the kitchen, Mokuba absolutely asked, "So, will you be the Vice President now?" 😏
> 
> Thanks for much for reading! If you want ask me questions, chat about the newest stories/chapters, or even just want to have a place to connect with other people in the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom, you are more than welcome to join me on [Discord](https://discord.gg/UjrrqnT)! You can also reach me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/TaedaeNextrea) and [tumblr](https://taedae-nextrea.tumblr.com/).


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